Defibrillators Market - Growth Drivers and Challenges
Growth Drivers
- Increase in underlying comorbidities: The increasing prevalence of diabetes and hypertension and rapidly aging populations imply higher CVD occurrence, and hence enlarge the patient pool of the market. Such relevance can be testified by the results concluded by the National Cardiac Arrest Summits conducted from June 2022 to March 2023. It underscored a 100-fold rise in the incidence of sudden cardiac death (SCD) among middle-aged and elderly individuals, compared to people aged less than 30 years. These demographic trends ultimately result in a growing need for effective emergency cardiac care units to improve survival outcomes and reduce healthcare costs.
- Clinical advantages from early usage: The efficiency of products available in the market in delivering essential life-saving therapies, specifically during emergencies, makes them more desirable for both clinical settings and remote healthcare. Validating this ability, in a May 2025 article, the NLM highlighted that early defibrillation, coupled with chest compressions, is associated with markedly improved survival for people experiencing CA. Another 2024 NLM study reported survival rates as high as 50–70% in cases where defibrillation is provided within 3 to 5 minutes of collapse. Moreover, such clinical evidence is pushing emergency responders to incorporate these tools in the prompt restoration of the heart rhythm.
- Emergence of innovative technologies: Continuous innovation in the technologies used in the market is a key to enhancing device effectiveness, ease of use, and accessibility. Particularly, automated external defibrillators (AEDs) with voice prompts, real-time feedback, and connectivity are gaining traction due to their ability to enhance response time and affordability. For instance, the use of small AEDs in a 3.5% annual sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) risk delivered $53,925/quality-adjusted life-year (QALY) and $59,672/QALY incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICER) for both societal (SP) and healthcare (HP) perspectives. These outcomes align with public health initiatives aimed at increasing bystander intervention, expanding the range of the consumer base in this sector.
Study on Changes in the Volume and Outcomes of Usage in the Market
Comparative Presentation of AED Use and Survival after Out-of-Hospital CA in the Nijmegen area (2013-16 vs. 2008-2011)
|
Metric |
Cohort of 2013-2016 (Number of Patients = 349) |
Cohort of 2008-2011 (Number of Patients = 180) |
|
AED attached (%) |
46 |
23 |
|
Bystander CPR (%) |
78 |
63 |
|
Patients receiving AED shock (%) |
39 |
15 |
|
Number of shocks by EMS (median) |
2 |
4 |
|
Survival to discharge (%) |
47 |
33 |
Pricing Trends in the Defibrillators Market in Different Fields of Applications
Variation in Defibrillator Treatment Costs (2022-2024)
|
Treatment / Intervention |
Region / System |
Cost or ICER (per QALY or equivalent) |
|
ICD therapy for primary prevention |
China |
139,652 CNY per QALY (~1–2× GDP per capita) |
|
ICD therapy for primary prevention |
Kazakhstan |
ICER = 3,791,604 KZT per QALY (within cost-effectiveness threshold) |
|
ICD therapy for primary prevention |
Colombia, Mexico, Uruguay (Improve SCA) |
COP 46,729,026 (Colombia); MXN 246,016 (Mexico); UYU 1,213,614 (Uruguay) per QALY (approx. 1–3× GDP per capita) |
|
Hospital costs due to ICD complications |
Europe (academic hospital cohort) |
€6,876 per complication; €8,110 per patient; additional ~€1,095 per implant (2‑year horizon) |
Challenges
- Expensiveness of advanced defibrillators: Despite the clinical benefits, the heightened costs of technologically advanced devices, such as implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) and wearable defibrillators, still shrink the volume of utilization in the market. As an initial purchase, surgical implantation, post-operative care, and long-term maintenance require significant capital, both patients and small-sized healthcare settings hesitate to invest in this sector. Particularly, medical systems with limited budgets or in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) fail to integrate such life-saving technology due to affordability barrier.
- Lack of public awareness and training: Although access to AEDs in public settings in developed countries has improved, the limitation of knowledge and skills may restrict the scale of usage and acceptance in the market. A notable proportion of bystanders are still prohibited from intervening during cardiac emergencies as they fear causing harm or legal consequences. This is often rooted in insufficient public education and a shortage of training programs. Thus, collaborative efforts are needed to unfold and promote proper utilization of the life-saving potential of this sector.
Defibrillators Market Size and Forecast:
|
Base Year |
2025 |
|
Forecast Year |
2026-2035 |
|
CAGR |
9% |
|
Base Year Market Size (2025) |
USD 10.8 billion |
|
Forecast Year Market Size (2035) |
USD 23.1 billion |
|
Regional Scope |
|